(preached just before the war with Iraq)

John 1. 43-51

When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, 'Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit… so says our gospel this morning. (I wonder if Jesus could say the same about each one of us)

(Some translations say- no 'guile' in him… -meaning no treacherous cunning or craftiness…)

There was once a lecturer at a theological college who informed his class that the subject for his next lecture would be 'THE SIN OF DECEIT'. By way of preparation, he wished them all to read the 17th chapter of Mark's gospel.

When the time came, he asked how many members of his class had complied with his instructions.

Everyone of them raised a hand.

'Thank you,' said the lecturer. 'It is to people like you that today's lecture is especially addressed.  For there is  no 17th chapter of St Mark's gospel!'

Why is it that at the heart of humankind there is so much sin and deceit?

Why can't we lovingly and honestly speak the truth to one another and love one another right from the depths of our beings.

Perhaps the reason that these students responded in the way they did was that they didn't want to admit they had done wrong. They didn't want to be found out, they wanted to go along with the crowd, and appear good and efficient. They tried unsuccessfully to bluff their way out of trouble.

Our lack of openness and honesty are at the very heart of our world's troubles.

The opposite is accepting who we are in God, accepting that we all have faults, and that we may get it wrong from time to time. But we must be big enough to confess our weaknesses to one another, and enter into dialogue if there is going to be progress.

A man called Frederick Robertson once said:-

'God is Truth. To be true, to hate every form of falsehood, to live a brave, true , real life- that is to love God.'

But it's one thing preaching it, and another being caught on the spur of the moment in real life.

Richard Nixon in his inaugural speech had this to say, (*obviously before Watergate);-

'Let us begin by committing ourselves to the truth, to speak the truth, and live with the truth, That's what we'll do…

The best laid plans of mice and men…

The other night something very exciting happened in our local council of churches meeting.

I'm sure a lot of people were expecting to spend a long cold night, on a hard chair, in order to discuss policies and flit through agendas, taking great care not to volunteer for election onto any more committees than we're already on.

But we FOUND that by breaking into groups and answering a questionnaire, somehow TRUTH broke through, and God entered in. Committee members were so honest about their frustrations and their fears, and we were also encouraged by the way in which we listened to one another.

 By the end of the night , as we all reported back, our very guarded and highly traditional rector  even shouted 'Praise the Lord!'

Can you imagine applying the same principle to world affairs at present?

It would go something like this…

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How I wish we could talk our problems through…take two world leaders…and

imagine this kind of conversation…

Saddam: Well Mr President if you're asking me why the animosity, why the frustrations and what have we found the most difficult and discouraging things about you and your country? Well, the UN inspectors search our country for our weapons of mass destruction, but never yours, and look at your stash of weapons. It's mammoth.

Look at how much money you have spent over many years on this arms race, and on sophisticated instruments of torture which you and Great

Britain have sold many times over to under-developed countries and to our enemies.

Look at your support for Israel, who have pushed our brothers and sisters off their own land and who have slaughtered thousands of them in the past. Look at your television screens and the type of films you produce. You have corrupted the world and poisoned the minds of your children.

You grow rich and fat at great cost to the poor and disadvantaged of this world, and you can't even cancel the debt they owe you.

No wonder our own children rise up to hate and disrespect you.

You have wealth and great power and you don't use it wisely, we feel that you only ever act in your own interests, AND you see us as enemies because we are Muslim and not BORN-AGAIN Christian, like yourselves.

President Bush:

Thank you for that Saddam, for putting that so succinctly.

Now I'm beginning to see why you hate us so much. You think that WE are the oppressor!

But it's frustrating for us too. We try to stand alongside Israel in establishing peace, but every time we take one step towards it, your freedom fighters, whom WE call terrorists, set off another suicide bomb, and the peace process is forced to take two steps back. We're frustrated because you don't seem to want peace, really.

We feel extremely vulnerable at present, especially since 9:11.

 We don't want any more annihilations, that is why we want to act before you do. There is simply a deep lack of trust on our part. It is said that you have even attacked your own people with chemical weapons; the chances are that you're EVENTUALLY gonna react like this against us too!

 We question the mind of someone who at the press of a button will kill millions? We Christians just wouldn't just go ahead and do that…although, come to think of it, we did in 1945…..

Saddam:

But how can we talk peace without justice?

Mr President:

How can we talk justice without peace?

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We have all sinned, and we have all fallen short….

Have we not?

WE ALL NEED TO REPENT AND WORK FOR REAL JUSTICE IN THE WORLD

Perhaps it's a silly dream to hope that we can sort our problems out by honest discussion, let us pray for people of integrity to enter into this world's troubles and bring peace, and pull us back from the brinks of war.

Let us pray that  integrity can be in our hearts too in our churches as we seek new direction and fresh vision.

We have all sinned . We have all fallen short! We have all failed to really listen to each other and to the community in which we live.

Deep at the heart of us all there is sin and deceit. Not by our own efforts can we remove its stain. No matter how hard we try we nearly always make matters worse.

If my people……2 Chronicles 7 vv 14

But when the love of God enters in, and Truth becomes a welcome guest, such qualities which are highly prized in the Muslim faith too, we will find that

miracles will happen all around us, and we will find ourselves shouting, 'Praise the Lord' in union with others across the world.

Amen

O Lord you have searched us out and known us

You know our sitting down and our rising up;

you discern our thoughts from afar.

You mark out our journeys and our resting places and you know all our ways.

There is not a word on our tongues

But you O Lord, know it altogether.

Come grant to us this day, your truth,

and your love and respect in our hearts

for every human person

regardless of creed or colour or race.

Lord hear us

All:Lord, graciously hear us

Send your Holy Spirit to our world,

 to every troubled heart,

 and give to all world leaders your wisdom,

and your truth in their speaking.

Send your healing and forgiveness

 that all people may know your presence in their lives. Bring justice, harmony and peace we pray.

Lord hear us

All: Lord, graciously hear us

Bless all those who are ill and in pain,

bless the poor and hungry,

be near to those who face death,

and comfort all who mourn.

Lord Jesus Christ, come live in us,

so that you can use our bodies and minds.

Help us to be pure channels of your grace~

 flowing out to a needy world.

Merciful Father

All: Accept these prayers, for the sake of Your Son,

Our Saviour Jesus Christ    Amen